Subject: Action-Alert:La. Com. Discrimina
From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 1995 13:57:36 -0400

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   LOUISIANA ELECTORATE of GAYS AND LESBIANS (LEGAL)
                                    PO Box 70344
                         New Orleans, LA 70172-0344
                                     504/525-7117
                               [email-masked]
                                      Brian Hartig
                                       Exec. Dir.

Louisiana's ONLY statewide non-profit lesbian and gay human rights
                                      organization.

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Attention!

Recently, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the city's mayor, Robert W. Williams,
refused once again to appoint an openly gay PWA, Robert Darrow, to the
Greater Shreveport Human Relations Commission. The commission, which ensures
protection based, amongst other things, upon sexual orientation states that a
few of its goals are to "eliminate prejudice and discrimination in the city;
and to encourage equality and fairness in the Shreveport area."

The Mayor's reasoning behind not appointing Darrow to the Commission? "I've
tried to appoint people to boards and commissions who are looking out for the
entire city and not just a special interest," Mayor Williams said.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Now follows a letter written by the Director of Louisiana Electorate of Gays
And Lesbians (LEGAL). It contains LEGAL's thoughts on the matter. Call or
write a letter with YOUR thoughts on the matter and contact the Mayor of
Shreveport, The Greater Shreveport Human Relations Commission and/or The
Shreveport Times.

Dear Editor,
Robert Darrow, a gay friend of mine who is also a PWA, wrote to me telling me
why Shreveport's Mayor Robert W. Williams refused -- once again -- to appoint
Darrow to the Board of the Greater Shreveport Human Relations Commission.

How hypocritical can someone get? The Commission supposedly protects people
based upon, amongst other reasons, their sexual orientation, but Williams
refuses to appoint an openly gay person to the commission that supposedly
protect us. Am I going around in circles? Sounds exactly like what the Mayor
of Shreveport is doing.

Mayor Williams -- a member of a minority group himself (Williams is disabled,
confined to wheelchair) -- said, when asked by a television reporter whether
he would be uncomfortable appointing a gay person to the commission in such a
conservative city, that it is "a concern," and that he's "tried to appoint
people to boards and commissions who are looking out for the entire city and
not just a special interest."

Are there African-Americans on the board who don't look after the
African-American community as well as those other groups who are often
discriminated against? Isn't this why they were appointed? Sounds a bit
unfair to me. It sounds as though the Mayor Williams is speaking out of two
sides of his mouth while the Christian Coalition-types, who are the ones
doing the arm twisting, are standing behind him and reminding him of who they
think put him into office.

The purpose of the commission? "(T)o study problems in relationships between
the various racial, religious, ethnic, and disabled groups in our city in
order to foster mutual respect and understanding; eliminate prejudice and
discrimination in the city; and to encourage equality and fairness in the
Shreveport area." 

The goals of the commission? "(T)o help our citizens understand, enjoy, and
benefit from their diversity. Solicit the views of business, community,
religious, and education leaders about the problems of cultural prjudice.
Promote dialogue and the exchange of information which can lead to
cooperation and sharing."

It doesn't appear to me that this is being done or even that these goals are
even being persued.

Perhaps the minorities placed on the commission make the the conservatives in
power look good. It helps them to show the people of Shreveport what
apparently isn't true -- that these conservatives really aren't "all for
themselves" and against those unlike them. But the mayor's latest statement
speaks volumes in regards to their true feelings about the commission -- that
it should pursue its lofty goals, just as long as these "token" minorities
don't do anything too radical (like ask for their human rights or ask for the
human rights of other groups.)

BRIAN HARTIG
Exec Dir of Louisiana Electorate of Gays And Lesbians (LEGAL)

TO write The Shreveport Times: 
[email-masked] or snailmail at The Editor of The Times, 222 Lake St,
Shreveport, LA 71101 (provide your telephone number for verification),
or call: 1-800-462-6436

TO write the Greater Shreveport Human Relations Commission: 
401 Market St, Suite 540, Shreveport, LA 71101, 
or call: 1-318-673-5069

TO write Mayor Robert W. Williams: 
PO Box 31109, Shreveport, LA 71130
or call : 1-318-673-5050

end.